Key Moments:
- Two Omaha residents have received federal prison sentences for transporting over $350,000 stolen from Grand River Casino
- The leading perpetrator behind the phone impersonation scheme has yet to be apprehended
- Similar imposter-led scams targeted multiple casinos in 2023 and 2024
Imposter Call Triggers Grand River Casino Theft
Two men from Omaha, Nebraska have been sentenced after participating in the theft of more than $350,000 from the Grand River Casino in Mobridge, South Dakota. The incident took place after a casino employee was deceived by a phone caller pretending to be a federal authority, who claimed the casino owed over $700,000 in unpaid fees and faced large penalties if an immediate payment was not made. Following the caller’s instructions, the employee gathered the cash and delivered it to the two men at a gas station in Mitchell, South Dakota, located more than three hours away from the casino.
Sentences and Criminal Network Connections
The individuals identified as Roberto Carlos Gonzalez Miranda, 24, and Roberto Orellana, 46, received sentences of five years and ten months, and four years and two months in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to moving stolen funds across state lines. They must also pay financial restitution to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which owns the casino. According to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, Miranda and Orellana were not the originators of the fraudulent call and had sporadic roles as money handlers for a “transnational criminal organization.” Both the principal orchestrator of the scam and the stolen funds remain undiscovered.
Repeated Scams Targeting Casino Employees
This type of scheme, where casino workers are manipulated into turning over cash, has impacted several casinos in recent times. In July 2023 at Four Winds Hartford Casino in Michigan, a perpetrator impersonated the chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and instructed an employee to deliver $700,000 to a gas station in Gary, Indiana. In that instance, Jesus Gaytan-Garcia, 43, was charged with receiving the funds.
On June 17, 2023, at Circa in downtown Las Vegas, an imposter claiming to be an owner of the casino demanded emergency payments linked to fire safety, threatening a potential shutdown if demands were not met. Erik Gutierrez Martinez, 24, was arrested shortly after and given a one-year prison sentence for theft. Prosecutors linked him to a broader criminal organization suspected in similar incidents at Eureka Casino Resort in Mesquite, Nevada, and the Golden Nugget in Laughlin, Nevada. Other individuals involved have yet to be charged.
Table: Recent Casino Imposter Heists
| Location | Date | Impersonation Method | Amount Stolen | Perpetrators Sentenced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand River Casino, SD | February 25, 2024 | Caller posed as federal official | $350,000 | Roberto Carlos Gonzalez Miranda, Roberto Orellana |
| Four Winds Hartford Casino, MI | July 2023 | Caller posed as tribal chairperson | $700,000 | Jesus Gaytan-Garcia |
| Circa, Las Vegas, NV | June 17, 2023 | Caller posed as casino owner | Unspecified | Erik Gutierrez Martinez |
- Author
Daniel Williams
